A Poem for 2011

Greetings, my friends!
This went to my Vitamin K subscribers this morning.  I got such great feedback from it, that I decided to share it with the world!  Enjoy it, send it to your friends, put it on your walls and wallpaper and the inside of your notebooks and planners, but whatever you do... take action ;)

Happy New Year!

 

The New Year's here!

The cards are stacked

2-0-1-1 is clearly packed

With opportunities galore

To win, to rise, and even SOAR!

 

What is the goal, fixed in your gaze

It cannot be obscured by haze.

Must know, for sure, without a doubt

Then walk by faith, within...without

 

Toward the dream that is your goal

That fires the embers in your soul

It might take WORK--but that's okay

That makes the victory sweeter - yay!

 

Just plan your work, then work your plan

The map will change as you cross the land

But later when the journey's done

You'll think that trip was so much fun. 

 

Go ahead and ROCK 2011 -- I'll be cheering for you all the way.

------------------

 

Note:  Final chance for free subscription to "Vitamin K"

http://forms.aweber.com/form/81/232897381.htm 

Offer Ends: Friday, 1/7/2011

In Your Heart You KNOW I'm Right

It's hard to believe how much time we -- as a people / country / world -- spend, neck deep in the lives of movie stars, celebrities, public figures, and how much MONEY and wasted time we spend reading, watching, commenting on their lives, and making our judgements -- paying homage to the institutionalized GoSSip industry.

If we spent this same time and effort in our own lives, buying and reading things to improve our own lot, enhance our own minds and better our own situations, I dare say we wouldn't have time to care what happened last week with  Brittany or Paris whoever...

Become ENGAGED in creating, managing, and enhancing your own life... then you won't need to feed on the gossip from someone else's.

Enjoy another awesome day...
Kelvin

Decisions are Made by Those Who Show Up!

A powerful statement.  It jumped out at me while I was looking over a friend's Facebook page.  I count it as one of my great "ah hah!" moments. No matter how strong your idea, or argument, or passion, it has virtually no power if you don't show up to present it, speak it, defend or promote it.

But that's a big concept that can also be applied even more powerfully in our micro worlds. But in that case, the question becomes, "are YOU showing up..." to manage your life?

Are you showing up and making decisions, or just accepting the default decisions made for you by circumstances or other people? Does the morning news or the driver who cut you off on your way to work determine how the rest of your day will go? or do you show up and take control of your day and your destiny?  Are you accepting the default decisions levied by your own procrastination? or are you showing up... and deciding to actively manage your activities and your life?

I asked myself these questions... and wasn't so impressed with some of the answers.  It's so easy -- EASY -- to throw our hands up and say "I can't control that; the decision is made for me..." but if you're reading this, you know better.  And maybe that restless, discontented feeling you've been battling lately is because you haven't made the decision ... to make a decision, and you've been waiting for someone else -- some circumstance -- to make it for you and take it out of your hands.

If that sounds like you (like it did for me) then, you know what you have to do, right?  Show up! Make a decision. It does a body good!  Even if it's not the best decision, that's okay. You can always show up later, and make another decision.

Decisions are made by those who show up!  I'm back.  Are you with me?

Have an awesome day.

Kelvin

It's What's Inside!

Recently, I spent over 13 hours with Dr. Wayne Dyer -- not in person, but it may as well have been. Mother's Day weekend, I drove the 13+ hours round trip to visit my mom in Maryland, and stayed to celebrate my oldest sister's birthday on Monday, and my mom's 82nd birthday on Tuesday. On the drive I listened to Dr. Dyer's The Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny CD set.

A lot of things caught my attention, but one of the 9 steps he spoke of was developing unconditional love, and after listening to him, I conclude that very few people on the planet are really acquainted with unconditional love -- on either the giving or receiving end. I consider myself to be a very loving person... but I discovered I've got some distance to travel.

He used the metaphor of a simple orange: "When you squeeze an orange, what happens?" You get orange juice.  If you squeeze it hard or soft or with various instruments or devices, does it change?" No; you still get orange juice.  "How about if it's hot or if it's cold when you squeeze it?" No difference... it's always orange juice. "Okay, but I squeeze if versus YOU squeezing it, what then?"  You still get orange juice, because that's what's inside.

So it is, he explained, with unconditional love. Unconditional love exists without condition, or return, and is independent of life's circumstances. If you're the orange and someone squeezes you in a negative way, what comes out of you? If someone we're dealing with is kind to us it's easy to love, but when they're not... does our orange juice turn sour?

When life squeezes us, what comes out? Hate, anger, distrust?  Doubt, fear, uncertainty? Whatever is inside of us at the core -- at least me -- is what comes out when we get squeezed and as nice as I (think I) am, some days I'm much better than others. If we need some role models, Dr. Dyer presented some powerful examples of people who -- when squeezed hardest -- their unconditional love came out: Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha, Mother Teresa... and more.

And insofar as our destiny is concerned... the point he was made was that these negative emotions and feelings -- this orange juice -- sets up a vibration that blocks the abundance and good fortune we seek in our lives, and as the law of attraction goes, we attract what we focus on and have the most energy / emotion for.

What is coming into your life right now? Whatever it is, is being brought to you by your thoughts and your emotions and by what's inside.  If you're happy with that, you're in good shape. If you're not... maybe some introspection is in order.

The quality of my orange juice isn't as consistent as I'd like it to be, so I'll be working on me even more. I'm a work in progress -- so, don't squeeze me too hard just yet.

Have an awesome day.

Kelvin

In this groundbreaking audio program there’s an amazing, ancient 20-minute technique that will enable you to create anything you want in life, whether it’s love, money, improved health, a better job, or anything else you want or need.

Where Seldom Is Heard...

It's December 27th, and I'm reflecting over my year.  2009 has been an incredible year for me. It was a record year for accomplishing goals, some of which I'll detail in my next Ramblings. 2009 has also been a year of self-discovery, of awakenings and realizations regarding myself and life in general. I took some major steps this year, some of which I wasn't sure in 2008 that I would actually take, but having done so I've been richly rewarded, not necessarily with money, but with peace of mind and contentment. I wish for you the kind of peace and contentment that I feel in my life, right now.

Being content... is not to say that I'm done :-)  In my favorite book, Illusions, a passage reads, "Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't."  And, I am s-o-o-o alive :-) and ready to face 2010 with unprecedented faith, appreciation, and expectation.  Being content is also not to say that I've encountered no negative in my life. There has definitely been negative in my life, but I've learned to notice and acknowledge negative, deal with what I need to deal with, then move past it, just like we move past a traffic accident. But our major focus must remain on our destination, and at the end of every day, what's foremost in my mind are the positives and empowering events I've encountered, while the "other ones" fall quietly by the way side and give way to my gratitude list.

In the enlightenment category, 2009 has also been a year of forgiveness. I discovered I was holding on to negative feelings for a couple of people and situations in my life -- past and current.  With the help of some excellent coaches and friends, I was able to release those feelings and free myself from that huge energy drain, because it takes a significant amount of energy to feed a negative thought process; and if you examine it, you'll find that you are constantly feeding it to keep it alive. And in THAT process, one of the most important people I ended up forgiving was ME! and that was an emotional and enlightening experience.

So as you wind down your 2009, I encourage you to think about and incorporate these important things into your life:

1.  DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!  If you've made it to the end of a day, there is SOMETHING there you can be grateful for.  CHOOSE to be grateful for the small things; a smile given, a near miss, each and every pain-free breathe you take, any kind word received, the car you drive, the cardboard box you don't have to live in because you have a house. If you can't think of something, write me and I'll give you some suggestions ;)

2.  BECOME YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND. Be good to you!  Society tries real hard to convince us that we shouldn't like or appreciate ourselves.  The truth is that we MUST like, love and appreciate ourselves, or we have nothing to give to anyone else.  If you do not value yourself, your intelligence, your generosity, your abilities and talents, your good nature, your warm hand or whatever it is, how can you give away something that your don't value?  If you don't love yourself, how can you give love you don't have?  Be good to you. 

3. LET IT GO -- let go of those negative feelings you're holding onto.  Forgive whoever it is for whatever it is.  When you hold that grudge, you're only really hurting yourself. You are feeding those feelings with life energy you need to sustain yourself and your well-being.  Let it go.

4. FORGIVE YOURSELF.  Go back through your mind and look for those things that you haven't let yourself off the hook for.  Go long -- some of these things you could be holding onto since childhood.  Forgive yourself and give yourself permission to move on, make amends and corrections.

5.  PLAN FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE. Focus pocus! Your energy flows where your focus goes.  I don't know who said that first, but it is true, and it is the law of attraction. If you focus on lack, you will have more lack.  If you focus o turmoil, you will hve more turmoil. If you focus on a BRIGHT FUTURE, you will move toward a brighter future.

6.  FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!  I know; this one seems egotistical, right?  If you think so... refer to #2 above.  I'm not saying it to be egotistical; it's the feedback I get from many people on Twitter.  Positive, Upbeat, Motivational and Uplifting <-- that's me.  If you need some of that? follow me.  I was once dubbed "The Prince of Positive :-)"  Where seldom is heard ...a discouraging word!  LOL. I like it. 

So that's my 2009 wrap-up. But sign up at http://ramblings.ringold.net/ for my Ramblings Gold Edition so you don't miss my annual cheery, upbeat, challenging beginning of year, Goal Setting issue.

As always, thanks for listening.  BTW, you can sign up to receive these in your e-mail box using the sign up form on the right. 

Take care and have an AWESOME day.

Kelvin

I Reserve the Right... To Change

This morning, I had breakfast with my friend Josh Shear (@josh_shear on Twitter). Josh is exceptionally well read and informed, has great insights, and we always have great conversations. Plus, he's a bit direct, so when he has something to say he tends to get to the point without a lot of fanfare.

For example, I noticed a couple of guitar cases in the corner of his living room, and I made an exceptionally astute observation, "Hey, Josh; you've got TWO guitar cases." Josh, in his Josh-like manner, said "Ya got two guitars, they won't fit into one case." That kind of direct (I smiled.).

When I walked into his kitchen, I was greeted by some very appetizing aromas. He'd prepared an excellent breakfast, timed to serve as soon as I arrived, so after some pleasantries he delivered this feast to the table and we chatted and consumed. I drank the lion's share of his double-brewed coffee, then after clearing away the breakfast dishes, we retired to his living room to finish catching up.

Having been duly informed regarding guitars, cases and the limitations of time and space, I asked whether he played guitar in any of the local establishments, and he said no. "I had a CD in 2003... sold them all and just have a few left." I held out my hand expectantly, saying, "well...what's up? I don't have one" and waiting for him to give up the bounty, and he stated quite matter-of-factly, "No."

"... that music is no longer representative of who I am."

I was stunned! but not for the apparent reason. I was not stunned that he said "No." I was stunned by the elegant simplicity of his statement!

How many people are TIED to an identity that no longer reflects who they are? TRAPPED inside identities they feel they cannot change? How many people do you know who are stuck in "that's just the way I am; I can't change it" or "people know me; this is what they expect of me..." How many people are saddled with an identity that is "no longer representative" of who they are -- or more importantly, who they want to be? Are you?

If you are, perhaps this is your own personal independence day. Anthony Robbins says, "the past does not equal the future." Who you were is not who you have to be!

So, repeat after me:

• "I reserve the right to change."
• "I reserve the right" to NOT be the person I was years ago.
• "I reserve the right" to be someone other than the person you thought I was back then.
• "I reserve the right" to become different, stronger, learn more, grow more, and get better.
• "I reserve the right" to leave behind an identity that does not empower me.
• Dear self: I am not that old self-limiting person I used to be. That image of me is no longer representative of who I am."

What a powerful, incredibly freeing concept. The next time you start to doubt yourself or feel a pull to do something that's not you anymore, go to your mirror and look into your own eyes and say, "I'm not that person! That stuff is no longer representative of who I am." Then pat yourself on the back for noticing ;-)

That's your first step. Stayed tuned for more.

Have an awesome day.

Kelvin

The Pursuit of Happiness

When we're running the race to be successful, sometimes we get so wrapped up in the pursuit that we forget about the happiness part. It has been said that happiness is not the destination; happiness is the journey. The journey should leave us energized, invigorated and excited about life and it's possibilities.

If your journey (pursuit) is leaving you drained and unhappy and unpleasant to be around... something is out of whack. Maybe your goals, maybe your "why", maybe your expectations, or your balance. Or maybe you're just running so hard that you forget that every once in a while your batteries need re-charging.

Take a day off from the pursuit; take an intentional moment to sit and relax, concentrate on and enjoy the parts of your life that are good. Get back in touch with -- appreciate and be grateful for -- the good and positive things, people and circumstances that already exist in your world. Take a day to enjoy your existing happiness... then get back to the pursuit "tomorrow."

It will be a good thing. Trust me.

Kelvin